Five years of a rebuild and a two month cruise to Alaska last summer. Leaving for Mexico hopefully August 28 if the new engine install goes well. More detailed update to follow.

Made it though the Panama Canal. It is much easier than the guide books make it out. We anchored in Lake Gatun overnighht as we could not do the 25 nm in the 3 1/2 hours required. The Panama Canal Authority did not charge us for staying the night in the lake as it was "their convenience". My agent Enrique Plummer made a lot of noise about the fact I would be charged but I call the Collectors office and they confirmed I was not charged. Damned Enrique however has never returned my deposit and tried to charge me an additional $250 for an inspection the collectors office said we did not need to pay for. I am not alone as I have heard of two other boats he robbed of money also. The passage through the canal was great except for my experience with Enrique Plummer of Plummer Marine Services. We sailed north to Boca Del Toros and had a very nice stay there for 3 days. This was during the time "Wild Bill" was killing people but we never encountered him. It was a laid back visit with a lot of nice people. We then sailed north to Isla Providencia and negotiated the reefs into the harbor. The anchorage in some places is very shallow so casution is advised. We were granted a 24 hour stay with no fees by immigration and customs. It was a friendly island and I will try to get back to spend a month or more there later but we had a time schedule to meet. The sail north to Roatan was great. The wind on the quarter with several days of over 150 nm. The best Panta Rei has done. We planned to go to the Rio Dulce but settled in Roatan at Fantasy Island Resort in large part because of the proximaty of the airport. We forst tried the French Harbor (Roatan) Yacht club. The docks were falling apart and the place was deserted. We tied up and wandered up to the buildings. Apparently the place had gone bankrupt and only a caretaker was there. He took $10US for us to stay the night but with no security, (the "guard" sleeps on the bench at the restuarant far from the docks) we headed over to the Fantasy Island resort. While it was a bit more expensive it is very nice and the dockmaster Jerry is working hard to help cruisers and upgrade the facilities. It is possible to rent a car for $32US a day to avoid the taxi robbers and see the island. Some of the taxis are good but others will charge you triple unless you have a very clear understanding of the cost before you go.

We are in Panama on a mooring ball right along the canal. It is a bit rolly when the big ships go by. We had planned to transit the canal on the 22 but decided to take a few days to sightsee in the city and are now scheduled for the 24th. Yesterday the wind kicked up a bit and our mooring line broke. We were not on the boat and it drifted and hit another boat, the Balboa Yacht club presidents boat!. Fortunately his boat had aonly scratches. We had a break in our bow pulpit and have had to fasten it together with nylon webbing to secure it for the trip north. We are negotiating with the yacht club on the costs. The trip down from Golfito was uneventful, just 3 days of sailing. All crew, Lonnie, Dave, Zach,Craig and I are ready to go. We are using an agent to do all our paperwork and it is a learning experience. Went to Old Panama City, Casco Viejo, and found it a little depressing with most of the buildings in poor shape though some are being being remodeled. There are lots of people who want ot be your guide and there seems to be more poverty than there should be when new skyscapers are going up all over new Panama CIty. We counted 15 cranes across the bay in the process of building. There were likely more we could not see.

Cruisers report the canal crossing is easier than the guide books say and we should not have any problems transiting.
direct email is hendersonkod@hotmail.com

We are in Quepos Costa Rico. The anchorage is not to rolly. Had a good nights sleep. Went to the Manual Antonio National Park today. Lots of monkeys and other critters. We set sail for an overnighter to Golfito, our last port in Costa Rico. Hopefully will have time to figure out hw to post pictures there. Very hot here, even the locals say so.

We sailed out of SanJuan Del Sur on the 2nd of May and went overnight to Playa del Coco Costa Rico. Checked in withthe port captain and immigration but had to take the bus for an hour each way to the Liberia ariport to import the boat for customs. We stayed only one day wandering the streets and visiting with friends we had met there. More later.

THe sailing has been uneventful so far. Had to motor almost 10 hours to Tamarindo as the wind was so light.

We have been on the hard in the port captains yard since April 2009. We hope to launch April 28 2010 and cruise the coasts of Costa Rica and Panama, transit the canal and meander up to the Rio Dulce in Guatemala. Our sailing travels this year will end June 14. The crew will be changing from time to time.